Kohl walked down the line of vehicles, looking each one up and down. Though their current condition was nowhere near what they originally may have looked like, all appeared functional. All were equipped for fighting, and to Kohl that’s what mattered at this moment. Metal or wood plates provided protection from extended side boards that jutted out from the passenger side of many of the cars. Others had jury rigged rear platforms where his men could shoot and snipe from. In total, Kohl had over a dozen vehicles to use in the coming assault against Shade’s Rest.

Kohl smiled as he finished his inspection, reaching his command car. His second, a well-muscled man who wore a deerskin vest covered with loose hanging trinkets and jewelry, approached him. His voice carried a deep timbre as he spoke.

“Everything’s ready.”

Kohl acknowledged him. “Good. You’ve run the weapons check, Harmon?”

The big man nodded. “Yes, but we’re getting low on fuel. We’ll have plenty to get there, but if we spend too much time zipping back and forth, we’ll run out. We can’t use the geecee’s. They’re too slow when pulling the cars and will probably get shot.”

Kohl agreed. He didn’t want to use any of their pack animals in the coming fight. They were far too valuable, especially the geecees. A common nickname for “genetic constructs,” these beasts were wide and varied and came from before the war. Engineered specifically for a variety of roles, they were common in the years well before the war, when genetic engineering was commonplace and at its height. From cross-breeds to existing animals created for a specific function or entertainment, the rise and use of such creatures truly created a world in which animal and human worked and walked side by side. When the war came, the age of the geecees ended in a flash, but like so many other animals they found a way to survive and even make a place for themselves. Some even became of great value, because of their function, with some even holding greater value than human life itself.

“No, we won’t be using them. Plus, if our plan comes off right we shouldn’t have to push much further than past their front gate. I don’t think there’s much fight in these people. Their leader, yes. The people, no way. Once the ram breaks through their front gate, I wouldn’t be surprised if they start fleeing or surrender right there.”

Harmon followed Kohl’s gaze to the van at the front of the Rotars’ line of vehicles. While the back end was completely cut open, and the tires appeared to be patched multiple times, the front had been reinforced heavily with a sloped and pointed wedge attached to the van’s front end. The wedge ended in a sharp tip and was decorated with various animal and human skulls for extra effect.

“You think this will bust their front gate?” Harmon asked.

“I got a good look at it. The gate is thick, but it won’t stand up to the ram. Once we break through the rest of the vehicles can follow. All we need to create is a perimeter and expand out from there.” Kohl smiled. He felt a great sense of satisfaction inside. He didn’t like the way Bruce treated him, and in a few hours, he was going to pay. To Kohl this wasn’t about getting Tim, Maple and the girl back. It was about teaching a lesson.

 * * *

Essem leaned against the outer wall of Shade’s Rest, looking back in towards the settlement rather than out beyond which he knew he was supposed to be doing. He’d been on duty on the walkway almost immediately after he spoke with his father about what had happened with the Rotars and the meeting with the Elders. Essem wasn’t sure how he felt about it all though. On one hand he wanted to fight. He wanted to show people like Tim that they couldn’t just take what they wanted. He wanted to beat the rest of the Rotars just like he beat Tim. At the same time, he knew that a lot of people might get hurt, even killed. In the few days he’d been here, Essem had come to like several of the people he’d met. The thought of them being hurt because of a problem he had started didn’t sit well with the young man. Ever since Bruce had made the announcement to Shade’s Rest about the possibility of a war, Essem had noticed a change in the people of the settlement. People who had previously spoken and been cordial to the young man suddenly kept their distance and cast disapproving glances. Others tossed scornful comments his way, anger coloring their voices. But it wasn’t universal. Some people, including those he’d never spoken to before, approached him and took the time to say that if there was a fight, it wasn’t his fault, or that of his father. These people claimed it was going to happen sooner or later, and they were tired of running. Essem could tell that for a town that seemed unified on the surface, there was trouble and tension brewing underneath.

“Shouldn’t you be looking the other way?” A voice jarred Essem out of his thoughts.

He looked up and saw Maple approaching. Essem noted that she had cleaned up significantly since being here. She’d been able to bathe, get new clothes, and eat. Her mood had even seemed to improve. She was coming at Essem with a limp in her step, but that was due to the large sack she hefted. She set it down at Essem’s feet with a loud ‘whuf.’ “What are you thinking about?”

Essem stood and faced her. “Not much. What’s in the sack?”

Maple placed her hands on her hips. “Rocks.” She pointed back toward the gate where other residents could be seen hauling similar packages. “We’ve been gathering them all day. Just in case.”

“Good idea.” Essem opened the sack and fished through the rocks. They were all good sized, with nearly all of them as big as his fist or larger. A solid hit from one of these was going to hurt. This was one aspect that made Essem happy. Shade’s Rest had a fair supply of weapons but he knew it might not be enough. The fact that they were improvising in this manner showed a spirit of determination that might be enough to make up for any shortcomings the settlement had for arms.

“How’s Runner?” Essem asked as he turned his attention back to Maple.

Maple looked out over the wall. “She’s good. She’s made some friends.”

Essem nodded. “Good. I think she’s being accepted here better than the rest of us.”

“Maybe.” Maple rubbed her chin. “I don’t know. People seem to like me well enough.”

“That’s because you cook for them. If you make good food, people will always like you.” Essem let some irritation creep into his voice.

Maple picked up on it. “Is there a problem?”

Essem looked at her. He couldn’t tell if there was a problem or not. Conflicting feelings raced back and forth in his mind. Part of him wanted to yell at Maple, and blame her for their current situation, but another part wanted… something. Essem couldn’t tell what though, which made him even more frustrated. He hoped it wasn’t any sort of deeper feelings. He didn’t want to have anything like that for Maple. He didn’t mind having her and Runner along, but he didn’t want to feel that way toward her, but he wasn’t exactly sure why. He remembered a few conversations he’d had with James. His opinion had always been that ‘women complicate things’ but James never really explained why, and what things were being complicated.. Essem thought it might just be a desire to be with her. He’d been with a woman once, but that was years ago. He remembered the feelings he’d had leading up to that disastrous encounter, and this did feel a little like that. In the end, Essem figured it would be best just to shut those feelings out until after everything was over.

He shook his head. “No. Nothing.”

Essem watched as Maple squinted at him, trying to understand what was going on. She soon gave up and turned to walk away.

Then Essem heard the rumble. It was in the distance but as the moments passed it grew louder. He leaned over the walls edge and stared toward the horizon. Maple joined him  in searching. A small cloud of dust joined the approaching rumble.

There was no doubting it now. The Rotars were coming.

“What do you mean they are going to stay?” The irritation on Elder Notten’s face was obvious. His eyes narrowed and his wrinkled and weathered face began to redden. For his part, Bruce could feel a tingling sensation bouncing around his insides. It was as if ice water was filling his belly. The last time he remembered feeling this nervous was his first time with a woman. While a pleasant feeling, there was a twinge of fear with this sensation.

And yet at the same time, he felt an excitement burn inside of him. In less than two hours, his entire life had been turned upside down. He had been content to be a leader of a settlement struggling to find some stability, the shepherd to a people that both needed and appreciated the steady hand he often provided. Now he was not only facing the threat of an attack from an angry gang of slavers but the verbal assault of those actually in charge of the settlement of Shade’s Rest – the council of five Elders.

But Bruce had also come to realize something else about the Elders and Shade’s Rest, and he had James to thank for it. Bruce had always thought he was part of and led a just and caring community, but it was James and his son, Essem who taught him otherwise. Now all Bruce had to do was convince the Elders of it.

Bruce knew the Elders had always truly run Shade’s Rest with the role of mayor being the executor of the Elder’s will. The Elders had always lived their namesake: the oldest members of the settlement. Since Bruce had become part of Shade’s Rest decades ago, the Elders were always those who were alive before the world changed. Everyone always believed they were best suited to manage the transition and be the guides to all those born after the world changed, giving them a connection to the past while helping to avoid the mistakes of it. The mayor was always chosen by the Elders, but the residents had approval of the choice. It was a system that had worked well for Shade’s Rest and kept them alive and functioning for decades. Bruce could not remember in all his time here or from the stories he had heard of anyone challenging the Elders authority. It made sense, really. After the bombs fell, people didn’t live very long. Those who did suddenly were regarded with a respect they hadn’t seen in ages. Bruce had heard tales and stories about how the world had been obsessed with youth, with the aged being discarded and shunned from society. Now if you were old, it meant you knew how to survive. Knowledge that was invaluable. To defy that knowledge was not only insulting, it was disrespctful and often unwise.

Bruce nodded. “Yes, Elder Notten, they will stay. We are not going to send them out to their deaths just so that we may live and be spared any violence.”

A new Elder spoke up first. It was Elder Shore. He had wild, stringy gray hair that swayed gently as he spoke. “So you wish pain and suffering on our people? Why is this, Bruce? You have always been a good and faithful leader. Why would you choose an incident like this to make a stand?”

Bruce knew this question was coming. He’d even asked himself the very same question moments before speaking. He just hoped that he was right. “Elder Shore, I understand your concern. In years past, even before I was chosen as mayor, we lived a life that was based on staying as far away from trouble as possible. It didn’t matter what form the trouble took; if it was a threat to us and our people, we moved out of the way and kept going.” Bruce opened his arms and gestured to the former grocery store that had become the Elder’s Hall. “We had always been told that we would find a place where we could indeed call home. Some place where we would be safe and never have to move again.”

Bruce shook his head and looked directly at each Elder. “But that time has never come. We have always been on the move, being as nomadic as the slavers that now threaten us.” Bruce pointed to James, who stood in silence as Bruce pled his case. “Or this man and his son. They have wandered all their lives as well. This pair has known nothing but the road all their lives, and they have little to show for it, save for the clothes on their backs.”

Bruce stepped forward, raising a finger toward Elder Notten who looked like he was about to retort. Bruce cut him off. “But this pair has something we seem to lack. A moral center. A sense of justice. When the small girl, Runner, literally fell into their camp, pursued by armed men, they decided to stand and protect her, knowing no more than what they could see.

“And what have we done when faced with the same? We’ve decided to turn them over. Walk away from the trouble. And we think ourselves better than two walkers who have no more than each other?”

Bruce turned and faced James. He placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. Though he looked James in the eye, he continued to address the Elders. “I wanted to turn him over because I knew that’s what you would have wanted, but James and his son reminded me that if we truly want to not just survive in this world, we need to make that stand for what we believe in.”

Bruce turned toward the Elders and squared his shoulders at them. “They stay, and we will fight if we need to.”

Notten raised a hand. “If you are done, Mayor Haft?”

Bruce nodded.

“You make a strong case, and while I do not disagree with your principles, they are misplaced here. While you may claim to have found a moral compass, you will find that slavers are without any. They will just as easily kill, enslave, or rape you without a second thought. And when they attack, they attack with such ferocity that there are few that can stand in their way.” Notten pointed a finger toward James. “In your effort to show your moral fortitude by saving this man, his son, and those who came with them, you might very well doom us all, and what will that prove?”

Tate, one of the female Elders, joined in. “Elder Notten is correct. Taking such a stand will bring you little comfort when you are lying dead in the street and your sister is being ravaged by these lawless men.”

Bruce was about to protest, but James took a step toward them and spoke. “Look, we didn’t want any trouble when we came here. We just wanted some help. Bruce gave it. He showed me some kindness and even when he turned us down for keeping that man that ganger wants.” James turned back and looked at Bruce. “He made me believe, even if it was for a small moment, that maybe I was wrong about what people in towns and other settlements are really like.” James snorted. “But you took care of that.” James raked his eyes across the elders. “You’re no different than that ganger, you know. The only difference is he uses guns to kill people.”

Bruce watched helplessly as James turned toward him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I appreciate your efforts. We’ll take our man and get as far away as we can. Hopefully you won’t have to give this place up.”

Bruce’s eyes followed James as he made his way out, until a voice brought his head back around. It was Elder Shore. “A moment, please.”

Bruce looked. James stopped and turned. Shore continued. “Just because my fellow Elders do not like our mayor’s brashness does not mean all of us do. While it is true Mayor Haft has defied our will, perhaps he is right.” Shore turned toward his fellow Elders. “I say we put it to a vote on whether we make a stand.”

Bruce watched in amazement. He could see the looks of anger on Notten’s and Tate’s faces. They attempted to speak, but Shore continued. “Those in favor of taking a stand against these slavers and accepting our mayor’s defiance raise their hand.”

Time seemed to slow as Bruce watched as Shore’s hand raise, followed closely by the two elders, Thomson and Swann, who had remained silent for the entire debate.

The nervous tingle Bruce held in his stomach the entire time suddenly faded away, replaced by euphoria.

“It seems we have a majority, Mayor Haft. There is no need to ask the opposing question.” Bruce looked over at Shore. The Elder’s face held no emotion as he stared at Bruce. “They may stay in the settlement, and you are now charged with making sure we are ably prepared for an assault.” Shore’s tone dropped. “Please, Mayor Haft. Do not make us regret our decision or our faith in you. The lives of all of Shade’s Rest now truly lie in your hands.”

James followed Bruce as he turned and made his way back down the stairs from the walkway. “Wait up.” James felt heavy with the guilt Bruce had just dumped on him. Though he couldn’t hear most of the conversation the leader of Shade’s Rest had with the Rotars leader, James heard enough to know that a lot of it had to do with him, Essem, Maple and Runner and that none of it was good.

Bruce’s details to the rest of his talk with Kohl confirmed everything else. Trouble was coming to Shade’s Rest and James felt responsible. James pleaded. “Bruce, what can I do to fix it?”

The pair had already started walking deeper into the settlement, but Bruce stopped at this and turned to face the older man. “Fix it?” He spoke with exasperation. “There’s no fixing this.” Bruce gestured beyond the wall. “I know his type. I’ve seen it before. Full of himself warlord who can’t see beyond his own ego. He doesn’t get what he wants and now he’ll punish us for defying him.” Bruce sliced the air with his hand, calling for an end to the discussion. “No. There’s no fixing this. Any blood that is shed over this is now on your hands.”

Inwardly James cursed the moment Runner fell into their camp. Everything had been fine for him and Essem until that moment. From there it had all gone downhill as far as James was concerned. But what would have happened to Maple and Runner if you hadn’t been there, old man? James thought to himself. Either way, James couldn’t let this go. He had to fix it. “No. There has to be something. I know this is my fault.”

Bruce turned back around and glared at James. James watched his face. He could see the anger. Then something changed with Bruce’s expression. James could see Bruce’s brow begin to furrow, and his eyes squint. He was started to look conflicted. James wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Your fault?” Bruce let out a heavy sigh. James knew for sure the man was conflicted. “I’d like to blame you. Really I would. Some old-as-dirt road hagger comes into my town and begs for help, then brings trouble in the form of a gang of angry nomads. I’d like nothing more than to set this at your feet, and then string you up by them.” Bruce raised his hands in exasperation. “But this one’s on me. It’s all my own damn fault. I should have given you up right away.”

Bruce’s last words hit like a punch to the gut. It was tough to hear such callousness, but he wondered if he would do the same if the situation was reversed. Still, James wasn’t sure what he was hearing. First Bruce was blaming James and Essem, now he was taking the fall. James knew something wasn’t right. He held up a hand in a calming gesture. “Bruce, take it easy. You’re not making sense. We can figure this out, and solve it.” James saw the tension in Bruce’s face fade slightly. He knew he had a chance. “First things first. Where are the rest of your defenses? Where do you keep the weapons?”

Bruce shook his head. “No, the first thing I need to do is report to the Elders. They need to know and make the decision.”

James blinked in surprise. “Elders? I thought you were in charge.”

Bruce continued to shake his head. “I make sure everything runs within the settlement, but the elders make all the choices.”

James studied Bruce’s face as he spoke. He could tell something was bothering the other man even more when he spoke about the Elders but couldn’t tell if it had to do with what had just happened or if there was something more going on.

Bruce started walking again. “You better come with. They’re going to want to talk to you.”

*  *  *

James stood inside the wide open square room. The shape was familiar to him from his youth and early years. He remembered that his mom had always used the term ‘market’ when describing these types of buildings. His dad had always called it a grocery store. Either way, James’ furthest memories of these buildings were always pleasant. They involved him asking for sweet treats and often being lucky enough to get them. After the bombs fell, James’ memories changed dramatically. He had nightmarish recollections of scrambling and searching for food, or even fighting others for a scrap or package of something. Inside, he chuckled at the idea of a building holding shelf upon shelf of food that anyone could purchase or trade for. Such a thing was a luxury from a world long gone.

Now James found himself alongside Bruce in one of these buildings. The center area had been completely cleared out, replaced with five chairs upon which each of the Elders sat. Behind them against the wall was a series of curtained off areas that James guessed must have been their living quarters. To the right looked like a general assembly area. Stumps, chairs and crates were scattered about. Behind him were tables of various lengths and sizes. Some were set up, others folded and still others of a more permanent nature. This must be their town hall. It almost seems like a throne room. James stood in silence as Bruce finished up his report to the Shade’s Rest Elders.

“So, Mayor Haft, you feel that this Kohl and the rest of his gang will return soon with a show of force?” One of the Elders with a shaved pate that only served to accentuate his wrinkled face spoke.

Bruce nodded. “Yes, Elder Notten.”

“And there is no more hope of negotiation?” A female Elder who sat buried in furs and animal skins, her hair pulled back tightly into a ponytail spoke in a pleading tone.

“I don’t believe so, Elder Tate,” Bruce answered, regret in his voice. “I have seen his type before. He feels he is superior to all those he meets. Much like a spoiled child, when he doesn’t get what he wants he throws a temper.”

Notten answered back. “But he is not a child. He is a slaver with likely many weapons and soldiers at his disposal. And he presents a serious threat to our settlement – a settlement we’ve had for a very short time. A settlement we have all come to love in this time.”

Bruce nodded again. “Correct.” He paused. “Elders, what would you have me do?”

The group of five looked back and forth at each other. James could feel his stomach tighten. He knew what was coming.

It was Notten who spoke. “The choice is clear, Mayor Haft. Turn their man back over to them, along with the woman, the child and the two travelers who brought them here.”

James wasn’t sure which reaction he was going to take. Part of him wanted to rail against the five elders, to vent all his frustrations on groups such as this that he had seen so many times before. But another part wanted to simply turn and leave. Grant them their wish, and be rid of this place forever. James had seen this before. It was one of the reasons he never could live among others. I’m too old to listen to this crap. These idiots need to know what they are doing,who they are hurting.

Before he spoke, he looked over at Bruce. He saw the man’s jaw was clenched tightly. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead. James looked down and saw Bruce’s hands clenched into fists. James realized that Bruce had made his decision, and it wasn’t the same as the Elders. He found himself feeling for the settlement’s leader. James could tell there was much more going on between Bruce and these Elders than he wanted to know. It’s not the time, old man. Just let it go. Just make it easy on him.

James placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Bruce. We’ll just go.” He looked toward the Elders. “We don’t want to cause any more trouble.”

“No.” Bruce spoke through gritted teeth. It was almost a whisper at first, but Bruce said it again, louder this time. “No.” He looked toward the Elders. “We’re not doing that. They’re going to stay. All of them.”

Bruce studied Kohl’s face. At first he saw the widening eyes that clearly showed surprise. It was obvious to Bruce that the younger man wasn’t sure what he had heard. That look of surprise quickly melted into realization. To Bruce’s eyes, this realization looked a lot like someone had told Kohl a big secret. A secret that made him angry.

Bruce didn’t like to judge people from appearances. Not in this day and age anyway. He’d met far too many people whose cover never matched the contents of their book. But with Kohl, Bruce found that old prejudices died hard. From the moment Bruce saw the man, with his sloppy, miscut hair, ragged clothes, and posture that smacked of arrogance, Bruce knew he wasn’t going to enjoy the negotiations.

He could tell right away that the man was not only a liar, he was something that Bruce despised even more – a slaver. He was beginning to realize that what James and Maple were claiming was likely true. It didn’t make the situation any easier for the leader of Shade’s Rest. Bruce was willing to turn the man over to Kohl and his gang, but something nagged inside him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that simply turning his back on this matter wouldn’t solve the problem. He didn’t fully know the conditions Maple, Runner and the others were living under. And yet, at the same time, he wasn’t sure why this was his concern at all. He had an entire settlement of people to look after. People who expected Bruce to do what was right by the Community. People who expected him to keep them safe. Getting tangled up with a nomad gang was the exact opposite of that. Maybe he’ll be reasonable.

“My what?” Kohl uttered, some shock still in his voice.

“You heard me. I have one of your men.”

“And how did you come to have him?”

Bruce could sense a growing irritation in Kohl’s voice. Or maybe he won’t be reasonable. “He was brought to me in chains. The people who brought him in claimed he tried to kill one of them, as well as hold one of them captive. What do you know about this?” Bruce worked hard to seem sincere.

It was clear Kohl wasn’t buying it. His voice had nothing but irritation in it. “I want my man back.” Kohl looked past Bruce toward the settlement’s outer wall. “And if you’ve got my man, then you have something else of mine. The woman who brought him in, and the men with her; they’re the real criminals here. They stole from my camp, and killed one of my men. Give them to me. I want justice.”

Bruce shook his head. “A woman did come in with your man, but she had nothing on her. She couldn’t have stolen anything.”

“She took that child.” Bruce watched as Kohl gritted his teeth. He could tell the man was becoming more agitated. “That child was an orphan under our protection!”

Kohl tried to sell the line, but Bruce wasn’t buying it. Still, he worked to keep his face and voice calm. The last thing he wanted was a fight. “With respect, Kohl, I think you’ve made it very clear to me what your kind of ‘protection’ is.”

Kohl stepped in close toward Bruce. He saw Kohl’s face twisted in anger. His eyes were darting quickly between the settlement and Bruce. He knew Kohl wanted to act on the feelings inside. It was obvious Kohl didn’t like being spoken to in any sort of defiant manner. What Kohl said next confirmed it.

“You watch yourself, man.” Kohl hissed as he pointed toward the outer walls of Shade’s Rest. “You think those walls would hold us back if we came at you full force? Not a chance. They’d fall in a heartbeat.” Kohl’s eyes became wild. “Then the rest of you would go. One by one. We’d kill those who fought us, and those who didn’t–” Kohl let the word linger. “Well, they’d be spared of course.” Kohl chuckled a bit. “I’m not some sort of heartless bastard. They might have to work a little harder to earn their keep.” Kohl smiled at Bruce. “Do you get me?”

Bruce leaned in close to Kohl’s face. He could smell the scent of burnt meat on Kohl’s breath. It mingled with his stale body odor. The resulting smell made Bruce slightly ill. These negotiations didn’t go at all like Bruce had hoped. Short of an outright firefight here and now, they were going the exact opposite of what Bruce had hoped. He was being put in an impossible situation, and Bruce could feel his own anger start to bubble up. Even if he did turn the ganger over, Kohl would come back to ‘punish’ Bruce and Shade’s Rest. Holding on to him would only bring a fight. Bruce’s aggravation simmered in his mind. Why? Why now? This is the best place we’ve ever found. I’m tired of running. I’m tired of making these people move every time a threat comes around.

No more.

He looked at Kohl. Bruce tried to keep his voice calm, but failed. “I wanted to come out here and have a respectable conversation with you, Kohl. I wanted to find out if what they said about you was true. I wanted to find some sort of peaceful way to resolve this.” Bruce shoved the ganger back. At the edges of his vision, Bruce could see Kohl’s men raise their weapons. Kohl just stood there, shocked. “Now it’s impossible!” Bruce looked toward the trucks Kohl and his men had. His hands gestured wildly “You want a war? For what? One man and two slaves? Do you really want to come back here guns blazing, possibly losing more of your men in the process of just getting one?”

Kohl found his guts and took a step toward Bruce. He pointed toward the wall. “I want is my man, and those with him. You willing to risk losing your town over some people you barely know and don’t give a shit about?”

Bruce wasn’t going to back down. Not now. He couldn’t. If he let Kohl bully him here, it would only make things worse. “We’re done here. You’re not getting a damn thing from me. Get back in your truck and get the hell out of here.” Bruce turned his back to the man and made his way back to the gate.

Kohl shouted back. “You’re going to regret this! You made the wrong move, old man!”

Bruce whipped around and came at Kohl. He pointed back toward the guards along the walls. “It’s going to be you who’ll regret this if you don’t leave. Now!”

Bruce watched as Kohl slowly backed up, never breaking eye contact. As he swung himself into the truck, Kohl paused for only a moment. Making a pistol shape with his hand, he pointed it at Bruce and pretended to fire. With that, the trio of trucks revved their engines and roared off down the road.

Once out of sight, Bruce turned back towards the gate . He stormed in and turned toward the men just inside the entrance. “Where is he?” Bruce could not conceal the anger in his voice as he spoke. The guard clearly knew who Bruce was looking for, and gestured up the access steps to the walkway along the outer wall of Shade’s Rest.

Bruce vaulted the steps, making his way past the guards and citizens who had come to watch the exchange between he and Kohl. It did not take him long to find James. Bruce walked up and stopped directly in front of the man. James met his gaze.

“I’m sorry.” James spoke quietly.

“You’d better be. You may have just killed us all.”

Kohl looked at the outer wall of the settlement he and the rest of the Rotars scouting party had stopped in front of. He was certain this was the place. The merchant, Barris, had been a wily son of a bitch as far as Kohl was concerned. Kohl hated people who acted all coy, like they knew something he didn’t. People who acted like they were better than he was. There were few things that annoyed Kohl more. People needed to know their place. Why was that so hard for some to understand? Kohl wanted to kill Barris, or at least make him hurt but he knew he shouldn’t. Despite Kohl’s feelings about the merchant, one of the unspoken rules in this area was that it was best to leave merchants and traders alone. Killing one could not only bring bad luck, but word would eventually get around. Very few settlements made it in the world without outside contact.

The trader had mentioned the settlement during his dealings with the Rotars. Kohl had heard about the settlement known as Shade’s Rest, but didn’t really pay much mind. Barris kept hinting that Shade’s Rest would have useful goods and services for trade. It made Kohl curious, and with the recent tension caused by Maple and that young girl she took with her, not to mention the loss of Tim and Dan, Kohl felt he could use the distraction.

The outer wall looked secure. It was wood. Thick timbers in most places, though there was obvious signs of fresh patching with lumber, steel and other scavenged materials. Some memories of recent history started to come back to Kohl. If he remembered right, the previous occupants of this settlement went down sometime in the last year. Kohl couldn’t remember who he’d been told was responsible, but he did remember that it wasn’t a group he wanted to run into. The Rotars were a fairly nomadic group themselves, and they were in need of a few things. Hopefully this would be a peaceful trade.

Beyond the wall, Kohl could see a few rooftops, chimneys and smoke from fires. The new occupants certainly seemed active. Faces continued to pop up over the top of the outer wall. While some looked curious, most looked concerned. Kohl’s group had about ten people, divided up over three trucks. They didn’t hide the fact that they were armed. Why would they? Kohl always felt it was better to present a face of strength than any other sort. It kept away those who didn’t want any trouble. Those that would deal with you likely had strength of their own. That meant that things stayed peaceful. Most of the time anyway.

After Kohl had announced their intentions to seek trade and do business, it was time to wait. Thankfully it didn’t take long. The front gate opened. Kohl took note. It was a single, thick door that slid just wide enough for a group of four to exit. Three men and one woman. The three that hung back were armed, but the lead man didn’t appear to be. Kohl hopped out of the passenger side of the truck and met him halfway.

“That’s far enough,” the man said.

Kohl held up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Easy, man. I’m just here to trade.”

The other man paused. “My name’s Bruce. This is Shade’s Rest. What are you looking to trade?”

Kohl held out his hand. “Kohl. We’ve heard about you recently.”

The man started to extend his hand, but stopped. “From who?”

Kohl pulled his own hand back. “Easy there. We heard about you from a merchant by the name of Barris. Said he stopped by your town a few days back. That’s all.” Kohl smiled to make his point.

Bruce rested his fists on his hips. “Sorry. I’ve learned you can’t be too careful.”

Kohl nodded.

Bruce pointed to the trucks. “So, what do you have?”

“We’ve got plenty. We’ve got ammo, some foodstuffs. We can give your people some combat training. Looks like you might be still doing some work. We’ve got a workforce if you need something built.”

Bruce cocked his head. “What do you mean ‘workforce?’”

Kohl didn’t like his tone. This Bruce seemed too suspicious. “What do you think I mean?”

“We don’t need or use any slaves here.”

Kohl squinted. “Who said anything about slaves? They’re not slaves. They can come and go as they please in our camp. They trade their skills for the protection me and my men provide.”

“Is that so?” Bruce urged him on.

Kohl nodded. “Of course. In fact I just had a few people leave the camp entirely. They weren’t happy with the arrangement, so they left. No questions asked.”

Bruce let it drop. “We don’t need any laborers.”

A silence fell between the two men. Kohl could tell this Bruce had standards. Kohl pegged him as a man who always tried to live by ideals rather than necessities like he did. Living by ideals won’t get you far in this world. “So, Bruce. What do you have to trade?”

“We’ve got clothing, wool and leather. Medical supplies. I don’t know what kind of foodstuffs you have, but we’ve got some as well. We’ve also got tools. Tools for gardens. Tools for your homes.” Bruce pointed at the trucks. “You have more vehicles? We might be able to repair them for you.”

Kohl found himself becoming bored. While the medical supplies might be needed, Kohl had his sights on other things to help ease the tension his camp was suffering from. He stepped in closer to Bruce. “Nah. I don’t need any of that. What have you got for fun?” Kohl let the word slide out. “My people need some fun, Bruce.”

Bruce’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Kohl playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Recreation, Bruce. My men need something…” Kohl paused and leaned his head over to look at the woman in the group standing behind Bruce. “… new to play around with.”

Bruce’s expression stayed flat as did his tone. “We don’t deal with that here.”

Kohl smiled back. “Bruce, both you and I know everything’s negotiable.”

Bruce leaned in. “I don’t deal with slavers.”

Kohl felt irritation crawl up his spine. He didn’t like the term and hated the charge by Bruce even more. He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t know what we do. Who does he think he is, calling me a slaver. I don’t keep my people locked up behind walls, Bruce. “I’m not a slaver. I told you that.” Kohl let the irritation show in his voice.

“Call it what you want. We’re done here.” Bruce turned and started to walk back.

Kohl felt a sting in his gut. He really didn’t like Bruce’s attitude. He was doing exactly what Barris had done – acting like he was better than Kohl in some way. Kohl could feel the urge to teach Bruce a lesson start to work its way around his head. His hands clenched into fists and his jaw startd to tighten. “The last man who turned his back on me found his face in the dirt on a hole through his gut.”

Bruce whirled around. Kohl heard the sounds of rifles being raised and cocked. “Are you threatening me? You’d never make it away from here alive.”

Kohl smiled. “You think this is all I brought with me? Don’t be stupid Bruce. If I really wanted to, I could take everything you offered for trade.” He looked again at the female guard. “And more.”

Bruce hesitated. Kohl could tell he’d made an impression. A hint of a smile crept across Kohl’s face. Now you’re beginning to see who’s really in charge here, aren’t you Bruce? This made Kohl happy; made him feel good. If this was like other trade negotiations he’d done in the past, Bruce would calm down and see some reason. Or at least apologize. Kohl liked it when people apologized to him. Once the apology was given, they’d be able to conduct some proper trade.

Then, for some reason Bruce smiled. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll give you something you really want, and then you get the hell away from our town. And don’t ever come back.”

Kohl smirked. This wasn’t what he expected to hear, but Kohl found himself intrigued. “Bruce, there is nothing you have that I would want that bad.”

“How about I give you your man back?”

Kohl cocked his head. “My what?”

Hey everyone. There will be a slight delay in this week’s entry of ‘To Find A Home.’ Sometimes things get the better of you, and sometimes Life hands you stuff you weren’t expecting.

That’s kind of what we have here.

But please be patient. Everything should be back to normal later this week, and next Monday. If you want to stay updated, you can find out all the details through various links below.

Thanks once again for your support.

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Essem slammed the hammer down the final time, driving the nail flush with the surface of the board. He exhaled sharply, then wiped the sweat from his forehead. He took a moment to take a look at the work he’d done. In the past three days he’d been able to transform two of the rooms of the house he’d been assigned from rotted wrecks to actual living spaces.

Both he and James had been given jobs on work crews. Bruce’s settlement, Shade’s Rest, had been working hard at turning a relic from the past into hope for the future. The hard work, along with the ability to get a decent meal, made an immediate difference in Essem’s mood. He was actually enjoying what was going on here, and what he was doing. For the first time in weeks, Essem was relaxed, even though it was just a bit.

James was another matter. Essem noted that he worked hard, but when the two would sit down together at night, James didn’t have much to say, and what he did say was never positive. Essem wasn’t sure what he was looking for to be different this time though. Every village or settlement the two had found themselves in over the years, James had acted the same – indifferent.

Runner and Maple were earning their keep as well. Runner’s age and size meant she was assigned to simple cleaning crews, much like the other children. She took care of clearing and moving rubble and debris. Essem noted that she didn’t seem to mind the work that much. He thought it odd for a kid. He hated doing work when he was young.

Maple was another matter. She’d been assigned to the kitchen and he realized that Runner was right; Maple was a good cook. The strange thing Essem noticed was that Maple didn’t seem happy. He couldn’t understand this. She was free. Tim was no threat to her and she’d even been able to get paid in some supplies for whenever they were going to get back on the trail. When he’d had a chance to talk to Maple about all of this, her response was simply, “I was stuck there, and now I’m stuck here. One prison to the next if you ask me.”

Essem put his tools down and grabbed a drink of water from his canteen. He felt it was time to catch some air, so he announced his break to the other people in his crew, and stepped outside.

The air was crisp and put a good bite to his skin. The sun was high in the sky and it gave a nice warm contrast to the chilly air. Essem made his way around the settlement. He had to admit they’d done a good job of securing it. The wall that had existed already had been reinforced where needed or rebuilt where necessary. The guard posts were secure and the approach to the settlement had been well-cleared and some decent defenses erected. The interior needed a lot of work, but Essem agreed with the priorities. You can’t have much of a settlement if you don’t have some way of protecting it.

Essem rounded a corner that brought him to the central square. A number of people made their way back and forth through this area, but Essem sought out one person in particular.

Tim sat chained to a series of heavy blocks in the shade of a tree. He flicked at the worn and wilted grass around the base of the tree, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. He only looked up when Essem stood right next to him.

“And what do you want, friend?”

Essem looked at the strength of the shackles on his ankles and the length of the chain. “I just came to see how you are doing.”

Tim looked back down at the grass. “I doubt it. You just came here to make sure I was still stuck. Don’t tell me you suddenly had a change of heart.”

“No.” Essem wasn’t sure what else to say.

Tim looked back up. “Unless you’ve come to tell me that my situation has changed. That’s what it is, isn’t it?”

Essem didn’t answer. He stared at Tim a bit longer, then turned and continued walking.

“Seriously? You’re just going to walk away? You just came here to gloat?” Tim scoffed. “I bet you don’t even know what ‘gloat’ means do you? You’re just some idiot road hagger.”

Essem stopped but didn’t turn around. He stood there reviewing the words. He had to admit he wasn’t completely sure he knew what ‘gloat’ meant. Essem never thought of himself as stupid. There was a lot he knew and a number of skills he had. He’d never felt stupid, but something in the way Tim spoke to him always made him angry. Always made him feel like he wanted to hit something.

Essem turned. He walked back up to the chained ganger. “You know that one way or another, you’re going to die, right?”

Now it was Tim’s turn to stare back, unresponsive.

“If Bruce and the rest of the settlement decide to serve justice or if we do. It’s going to be the end for you.”

“The end for me?” Tim shook his head. “No, I don’t think so, friend. These people won’t do it. They don’t believe you, and they’re not killers.” Tim raised his nose toward Essem. “And you? You and your old man are killers, but only when you need to; when you have to. Maple sure as hell won’t do it. She gets mad enough all right, but when the kill is helpless right in front of her, she melts like sugared ice on a cake.”

Essem could feel his anger start to rise. He was beginning to question ever coming and talking to Tim. He wasn’t even sure why he was doing it in the first place. He wanted to lash out and hit him, but he held back. He could hear his father’s voice in his head. ‘Don’t do it. It’s what he wants you to do.’

Tim could see that Essem was clenching his fists. “Am I making you mad, friend? It’s kind of funny that I’m the prisoner, but you seem to be the one restraining yourself.” He chuckled at his own joke.

Essem felt his father’s restraining words vanish in a wave of rage. Essem’s fist lashed out striking Tim hard on the side of his face. The ganger sprawled to the ground. Essem felt the rush adrenaline surge as he leapt on top of Tim, straddling him. He rained several more blows down on the man. “You’re worthless!”

Essem couldn’t tell if the ganger was groaning or laughing, but the clanging of a bell stopped Essem’s assault cold. His eyes darted around for the source, but Essem couldn’t find it. Instead, he saw people running back and forth, many with worried looks on their faces.

Essem got up off of Tim, reached out, and stopped one of the residents as he ran by carrying a bow and a makeshift quiver of arrows. “What the hell is going on?”

The resident panted as he looked Essem up and down. “There’s a big gang approaching the gate. Everyone is getting into position.” He pushed Essem’s hand away and resumed his hurried pace. Essem looked down at Tim. There was no doubt now. The ganger was laughing.

Tim spit blood from his mouth. “I bet you it’s the Rotars. Maybe I’m not worthless after all.”

Essem poked lazily at the campfire they’d made. He watched as the various members of the settlement, this Shade’s Rest as it was called, walked past and stared. It was almost as if they’d never seen other people before. Essem knew this wasn’t true of course, but it made him feel as if he was on display. Runner sat nearby. She snuggled under Essem’s jacket and sat closer to the fire. Essem had to admit the night was a little cooler than usual.

The small bit of Shade’s Rest that Essem had been able to see since they got inside the gate told him that this settlement had to have been less than a year old. There was still plenty of work to be done. The majority of the people he saw were still living in tents, yet there were plenty of houses and other structures around.

“They’re probably not cleaned out or are in need of repair,” he told Runner.

She nodded. “We never lived in houses with the Rotars. We always were in tents or in a thing with a slanted roof.”

“A lean-to,” Essem answered.

“A what?”

“Lean-to. It’s a shelter where there is only a one-sided roof.”

Runner nodded again. “I think I lived in a house when I was younger. I don’t remember for sure. I remember something with rooms and walls. But that was before we joined the Rotars.”

Essem poked at the fire with his stick. “When did you and your sister join the Rotars?”

Runner turned to look at him. “Maple’s not my sister.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t have a sister. Or a mom or a dad. They all died a few years ago. That’s what I was told anyway.”

Essem paused, letting his gaze sink into the crackling flames. “You don’t remember them at all?”

Runner just shook her head.

A trio of residents from Shade’s Rest strode by, keeping their eyes on the pair the entire time. Essem stared back, his face expressionless.

“They keep staring at us.” Runner mumbled.

“I know.”

“Why are they doing that? Is there something wrong with us?”

Essem shook his head. “No. I don’t think they get a lot of visitors.”

Runner chewed on that thought for a moment. “They shouldn’t do that. They can at least say ‘hi.’ Maple says that sometimes people aren’t very nice though.”

Essem nodded. “My dad says that too.”

*  *  *

James watched as Bruce paced around the room. He could tell the leader of this settlement wasn’t very happy with the situation James was putting him in. At first, Bruce didn’t buy their story, or that Tim was their captive. He seemed suspicious and suspected that Tim was just a plant or something other than what was being claimed. He only started to soften his stance when Maple broke down in tears over what she had gone through and shown Bruce the bruises.

Though he had softened, he still wasn’t one hundred percent on board with the idea of taking in a prisoner.

Bruce turned toward Maple. “I’m not saying he didn’t hurt you, or at least not guilty of something, but that’s the problem… I don’t know. He didn’t commit a crime on our lands. We’re not in the business of taking in other’s prisoners.”

Maple started to protest, but James held up a hand to cut her off. “No, you’re right. I can’t ask you to dispense justice when you’ve got no reason to.” James stood and moved to the door. “He’s our problem and we’ll deal with him. Let’s go, Maple.” James placed a hand on the knob then was struck with a thought. He turned back toward Bruce.

“You know if we take him out of your settlement, we’ll just end up killing him, right?”

Bruce nodded. “I know how road justice works.”

“True. But what if he had some value to you?”

Bruce shook his head. “No. I’m sure he’d put in a good day’s work, but I’d need at least one man to guard him, so it’d be a wash.”

“I wasn’t thinking about him being a laborer.” James stepped forward. “What if you traded him back to his gang?”

Maple shot James a glare. “You can’t be serious!”

“I’m not partial to killing if I don’t have to. Frankly, I’m not partial to it at all.” He looked at Maple. “And with all due respect, miss, I know you’re angry, but I don’t think you have it in you. You’ve never killed before have you?”

Maple met his gaze with a glare, but its strength quickly faded. She lowered her head.

James turned back to Bruce. “How about it? Gangers always need their people. If you traded him back, you’d probably stay on their good side. At least for a while.”

Bruce weighed the options. James could tell he was making sense, but he wasn’t sure if Bruce wanted to play that game. “If I traded him away, you know they’d be asking about you.”

James nodded. “I know. But I don’t plan to stay long. By the time this all goes down, my son and I would be long gone.”

Maple looked at him. “What about me and Runner?”

James didn’t answer her.

Bruce shook his head. “It’s tempting. He could be worth a lot, but I’m afraid the answer is ‘no.’ It’s just too risky. Better to wash my hands of all of you now.”

James sighed. “Fair enough.” He was angry. He didn’t like the idea of even more baggage to watch out for on the trail. He could tell that this subject was closed. It was time to change things. “I noticed on the way in, that you’re still in need of plenty of work here. My son and I can do carpentry. We’d be more than happy to work our keep, meals and some supplies over the next few days if you’d agree to it.”

Bruce nodded. “I’ll give you a day to prove yourselves then barter for the next three. We’ll see where we’re at then. What about your captive?”

James looked at Maple. Her face was a mixture of anger, confusion and sadness. “We’ll cover half of his fee to keep him locked up. She can cover the other half.”

Bruce looked toward Maple. “Agreed. And what can you do?”

Maple looked toward James, then toward Bruce. She sighed. “Where’s your kitchen?”

Alex kept his eyes to the floor as he spoke. “Tim had the girl, Maple and was trying to leave, but those two road haggers had him surrounded. He was using her as a shield, and just trying to get out of there, and that’s when the kid attacked.”

“The kid,” answered a voice.

Alex nodded. “Yeah, the kid. She charged out from behind a bush or something. She was so small I didn’t even see her. She ran at Tim with a stick. Tim tried to catch her, but that’s when Maple broke free. Then the shooting started.”

“Shooting. Did anyone get hit?”

Alex nodded again. “The old guy. But it didn’t look too bad. He was up and walking around.”

Alex lifted his eyes and watched as the man across from him stood. He was just under two meters tall, and though he bore a somewhat scrawny appearance, Alex knew better. Kohl was the leader of the Rotars for a reason. His close-cropped hair sat atop an intimidating face. Alex also knew that Kohl was a rough and dirty fighter. His leathers and the machete sheathed at his side only backed up that reputation. Alex swallowed nervously as Kohl approached.

“So, Dan got shot because he couldn’t keep his mouth shut in front of some old guy with a gun. Tim got distracted by a kid and beat by a woman.” Alex opened his mouth to correct Kohl’s assessment but quickly thought better of it. “And you got away.” Kohl chuckled. “Alex, sounds like you made the best choices of anyone there.”

Alex was surprised. He hadn’t expected that reaction from Kohl. The last man to have failed Kohl ended up having his hands cut off. Kohl made the sickening comment about people coming back “empty handed” after that incident. That fear had started to build in Alex before Kohl made his comment. Alex stammered his reply. “Uh, th-thanks, Kohl.”

Kohl placed a hand on each of Alex’s shoulders. “Oh, don’t think for one minute I’m happy with this. I’ve got one dead soldier, an officer that’s been captured, and two missing workers.” He squeezed Alex’s shoulders harder. “This isn’t good, Alex. This is the third disappearance this month, and the second where my men have come back with nothing to show for it.” Kohl squeezed even more and leaned in closer to Alex’s face.

“What are people going to start thinking if they see that they can make a break for it and get away with it? Where will that leave us?”

Alex started to answer, but Kohl cut him off before he could begin. “Not in a good place. And that’s what it’s about here. That’s why the Rotars have been successful and been able to survive as long as we have. Everyone knows their place.” Kohl sighed. “Or at least they did. And now because I’m losing men, some of the others might get the idea that we’re weak.” Kohl began to rock Alex back and forth slowly, matching the cadence and emphasis of each word. “And that is something we cannot have, Alex. We can’t.”

Kohl released the man from his grip and started to move toward the exit of his tent. “They need to be reminded of who is in charge, and why it’s important that they stay.” Kohl flipped the flap to the side and stepped out. Alex hurried after him.

By the time he caught up, Kohl had already gotten his other officers and soldiers to gather up the entire camp. Kohl made his way to the camp center.

The Rotars’ camp was circular in design, with a central square for meetings and other large gatherings. The worker’s tents, along with any livestock and other structures encircled the square, while Kohl and his soldiers kept their lodgings, as well as the food stores around the workers. All the camp’s vehicles formed the final defensive perimeter keeping intruders out and everyone else in.

Slowly, the workers filtered in. Alex watched their faces as they started to bunch up in the center square. Most seemed understandably nervous. Alex expected that. Kohl rarely called for such gatherings unless he planned to have the camp uproot, or make an example of someone.

Alex knew there were no plans to go anywhere.

Finally, everyone had gathered. Kohl had fetched himself a crate and jumped up on it. He raised his hands to quiet the few murmurs that remained.

“I want to apologize first to you all for interrupting your workday. I know you’re all working very hard, and I wanted to say, ‘Thank You.’ I think I don’t say that often enough.”

Alex studied their faces. He could see some expressions stay just as nervous. Others softened a bit while some of the others gave a glimpse of skeptcism. One group started to shift a bit, their ankle shackles clinking loud in the breeze.

Kohl continued. “But then again, I find myself asking the question, ‘why?’ Why do I need to thank you at all? I mean, from where I stand, we all seem to understand the arrangement we have here. Your job is to work for the betterment of the camp, while my job and that of my men is to keep the camp safe. We protect you.” Kohl began to raise his voice. “And just a few days ago, our protection was repaid how? One of your group ran away, taking another with her. She did not respect the arrangement. She thought it was unfair. She was unhappy here!”

Alex continued to scan the crowd. Many of the faces were starting to look to the ground, doing whatever they could to avoid eye contact. He was beginning to wonder himself where Kohl was going with this.

Kohl lowered his voice a bit. “And to be honest, this hurts me. These are not easy times we live in. Some of you were born before the Fall, but most of us here were not. We’ve known nothing but this hard life we live. We’ve tried to make things easier, but it’s never really happened. This is the life we know. This arrangement is what works for us. This arrangement keeps us alive!” Kohl pointed toward the workers. “And when some of you decide you’ve had enough, and leave, that ends up hurting everyone else left behind. I had to commit several men to try and find this runaway, and they couldn’t do it. But that’s not the point. While they were gone looking for her, what would have happened to all of us if we’d been attacked?” Kohl threw his hands up in the air in exasperation.

“It wouldn’t have been pretty, that’s for sure. And it would have been her fault. She would have effectively signed your death warrants.” Kohl brought his tone lower. “And that’s selfish. Something that just shouldn’t exist today.”

Kohl jumped down off the crate. “But all this has made me think. Made me think that if there are more of you that don’t want to be part of what we’ve built here, then we don’t want you here. And I don’t want to waste resources going after you. So I want to know now. If there is anyone who wants to go, you are free to do so. I promise you we will not come after you.”

Alex felt a twinge in his stomach. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Was Kohl serious? He never would have done something like this a month ago. Alex watched the crowd of workers. None seemed willing to move.

Kohl urged them on. “Yes, I’m serious. If you want to leave, now is your one and only chance.”

A group of three men broke from the group and raised their hands. “We would like to go.”

Kohl nodded. “Are you sure?”

All three men nodded.

Kohl signaled to one of his men to loosen the shackles. They hesitated at first, but quickly complied when Kohl gave a second gesture. The chains fell to the ground and the men looked up at Kohl.

“Go.” Kohl encouraged.

The men started to leave the circle.

“Now,” Kohl began.

Alex went on alert. Here it comes.

The Rotars’ leader continued as the men slowed their pace. “Now that you are leaving the camp, this means you are no longer a part of this camp. You’ve left the protection of the Rotars. You’ve left my protection. You are out on your own. And now you’re competing for the same resources we are. In my eyes, that makes you my enemy.“

Alex watched as Kohl drew his pistol and shot the lead man. The gun blast echoed loudly and nearly everyone jumped, including Alex. The slug struck the man in the neck, and he fell lifeless to the ground.

The other two men stopped and turned toward Kohl. Slowly they raised their hands in surrender.

Kohl regarded them with a strange look. “Is there something you want? We don’t know you. You’re a stranger to our camp. Your friend there proved to be our enemy. I should regard the two of you the same way.” Kohl paused, and lowered his gun slowly. “Unless you’d like to join our camp and be part of our mutual survival.”

Both men looked at the Rotars’ leader and nodded their heads.

Kohl smiled, and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. “Well then, welcome to our camp!”

Bruce walked down the middle of the street. He took careful note at how clean it was compared to how it looked three months ago when he first walked it. Debris, dirt, and other refuse had made the street almost impassable in spots. Now it sat clean and this made him very happy. Despite the rough shape of the road back then and even some of the structures, there was enough about this grouping of houses and other small buildings that made it viable to use as a settlement. Several sturdy structures (some even new), a river, and land that could be farmed. Best of all, it was defensible. There was a wall around this community. Someone had lived here before, but they appeared long gone, and judging from the damage done to the wall and structures, their final days likely were not pretty.

Now it had become a new home for him and his followers.

Followers. Watch it, Bruce. They follow you by choice, not by command. He corrected himself. Citizens. That’s better. Bruce was their leader, but chosen by vote, not by anything else. Bruce felt he’d served everyone well enough, but he always had doubts. This group had moved. A lot. Too many times for Bruce’s tastes.

Now, on this once overgrown street, they’d found a new place to stake their claim. Bruce hoped it would be the last time they would ever have to move.

A voice off the side of the street brought the man out of his thoughts, and he turned toward it. A woman emerged from her home. She was in her forties, like Bruce. She strolled across the lawn toward him. He smiled.

“Good afternoon, Linda. How’s the house coming?”

Linda looked back at the structure. The exterior wasn’t much to look at. Though all the weeds and overgrowth had been cleared, the siding was still dirt covered and fraying. The windows and door frames showed obvious signs of work. “It doesn’t look like it on the outside, but the inside is finally shaping up. The rot in all the rooms has been fixed, and the living rooms had all the holes patched, and we’ve made access for a fireplace. There’s still some issues with the basement, but if we can get a decent ration from the next supply mission, we should be able to fix that.” She smiled devilishly at Bruce.

Bruce held up his hands and feigned innocence. “Hey, there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m just the leader here. You have to talk to Fred about supplies. He’s in charge there.”

Linda gently punched his arm. “Aw, c’mon! What good is it to have your brother in charge of this entire town, if you can’t get a favor or two?”

Bruce mockingly rubbed his arm as he looked at the house. “How many families are staying in this one?”

Linda’s tone turned all business. “We’ll have three. One for each room. Once we get the basement repaired, we can house one more.”

Bruce looked down the block at the other houses. He could tell immediately that the neighboring house was a complete loss, but the others looked viable. “What’s the status on these structures?”

“They’re coming along, but this one here is the best on the block.”

Bruce crunched some numbers in his head. “Well, you’re actually doing better than some of the other blocks, save for Alpha. But they’re ready to have the last of their tents moved to their final spots.” Bruce sighed. “I’ll see what I can do. But you’re the Block Boss, you need to make your case for your share of supplies.” Bruce looked further down the road and at the house beyond repair. “You’ve still got some messy street here, and this house could be torn down and turned into a garden. Why haven’t you scavenged supplies from that yet?”

Linda pointed toward the roof. “It’s actually the tallest house on the block. The interior is trashed, yes, but the vantage points from that height for snipers are too good to pass up.”

Bruce exhaled through his teeth. He didn’t like to think about those kinds of things, but he knew Linda was right. He studied the house closely. “Makes sense. Make sure you add to your list a few traps on the inside of the building so we don’t leave the sniper undefended. Might also be worth it to build a bridge between it and another house.”

Linda nodded. “You got it, Mister Mayor. I’ll get that stuff pulled out of my ass right away,” she mocked.

Bruce smiled back. “You don’t need to be the Block Boss you know. There are still some outhouses that need digging.”

Linda was about to respond when they both noticed someone come charging up the street. He was headed directly toward the pair. He slowed and stopped in front of them, huffing.

“Catch your breath, Kim. What’s going on?”

Kim heaved a few more times, spitting out words between each breath. “Visitors… they… have… a prisoner. They want… to leave him… here.”

Bruce looked at Linda, took off his wide-brimmed hat and ran a hand through his thinning hair. “Well this is new. Let’s go have a look. Are they still outside the gate?”

Kim nodded.

*  *  *

Bruce climbed up the ladder and stepped up on the platform that ran around the length of the wall. He peered over the edge at the group of five below. He quickly saw that one of them was bound, and was being carefully watched by a woman with a spear.

“What’s your business?” Bruce shouted down.

The older man answered. “Hello there. We’re looking for shelter for a few days, and we have a prisoner we were hoping you could take off our hands.”

“A prisoner? From where? And what has he done?”

“He and his men were trying to capture these girls, to take them back to their camp. We intervened.”

Bruce cocked his head. “How do you know they aren’t the criminals? Maybe that man and his men are the law from their camp.” Bruce watched as the bound man turned back toward the woman and said something. She responded by a quick slap to his face with her shaft from her spear. The younger of the two men moved quickly to stop the situation from escalating.

The older man continued to speak, gesturing toward the younger girl. “She’s not much younger than twelve. I doubt there’s anything they could steal or any serious crime she could have done.“

“I dunno, old man. The other one seems more than ready to use her spear.” That comment brought chuckles from the guards stationed along the wall. “What happened to the men he was with?”

“One escaped, and the other was killed,” the older man answered flatly.

Bruce took his hat off, and leaned on the wall, in between the spikes at the top of each post. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll let you in, and you can secure him, but I’ll have to think about your request.”

The older man’s shoulders sunk. “Fair enough.”

“Are you armed?”

He nodded.

“We don’t take kindly to weapons here. You’ll have to check them in.”

The man nodded again.

Bruce signaled for the gate to be opened. “Welcome to Shade’s Rest, my friends.”